Controversial trade union leader, Chester Humphrey has angered the Keith Mitchell-led government with a call on workers to vote out the ruling New National Party (NNP) regime from office in the upcoming general elections.
Speaking at Labour Day celebrations on May 1, Humphrey, the President General of the powerful Technical and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), said that a change in government is absolutely necessary in order to relieve the burden and widening poverty now affecting workers.
His charge was met with an immediate reaction from ex-revolutionary colleague, Major Einstein Louison, who served the 1979-83 Grenada Revolution of late marxist leader, Maurice Bishop.
Senator Louison, the current Minister of National Security and Information questioned how Sen. Humphrey could be calling on TAWU members, some of whom are members of NNP to vote out their own government from power.
Louison, the former Army Chief of Staff, urged TAWU members to take decisive action against their President for suggesting that they should use the power of their vote to end the tenure of the Mitchell government which has been in power since June 1995.
In his fiery attack on the NNP administration, Sen. Humphrey reminded the working class in Grenada that like the other classes in society, they must see themselves in political terms.
"We the workers don't have the money so we can't buy the election, but what we have is the vote. And, therefore, I call on you to end corruption, end victimisation, end poverty, vote for democracy, vote against the New National Party," he told the Labour Day rally.
According to the TAW boss, in 1951 the working class of the day won for them the right to vote.
He said that today, Grenada is at the cross roads and as a result workers could no longer continue with what he claimed "the widespread corruption" that is facing the country.
"I call on the working class to exercise its franchise. And I am not speaking in tongues, I don't have that complexion, I don't have that height, neither am I that ugly...", he remarked.
"The working class has an historic duty to save democracy. We must guard against the Zimbabwe situation arising here in Grenada. It is the duty of every worker to make sure that he/she is registered to vote at election time," he said.
The NNP has been dogged by allegations of corruption especially directed at its two top officials, Prime Minister Mitchell and deputy Prime Minister, Gregory Bowen, who have been implicated in court cases in the United States.
Like, Sen. Humphrey, the President of the Grenada Trades' Union Council (GTUC), Madonna Harford urged workers to exercise their constitutional rights and turn out in numbers to vote on Election Day.
Harford told workers that the next 12 months will be critical for Grenada as the country is now into an election year.
"Very soon we will be called upon as a people to elect a government of our choice. The Grenada Trades' Union Council wishes to appeal to all eligible voters to ensure that you register to vote in the upcoming elections", she said.
"I wish to say to you that it was the labour movement who fought and won that right to enable you to vote - one man, one vote. Please make sure that you register and make sure that your name is on the list so you could get the opportunity to vote and vote wisely," she added.
The female trade union leader also issued a call for the political parties to conduct a clean campaign leading up to the poll.
"The Grenada Trades' Union Council wishes to appeal to all political parties to conduct their campaign activities in a dignified manner, free from character assassination, free from violence... We cannot and should not allow politics to divide our small country," she said.
Harford also took a swipe at the two main political parties, NNP and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NNP) in bringing into the country foreign artistes to perform at their mass meetings.
"How can we justify, brothers and sisters, the thousands of dollars being spent to bring artistes to boost our electioneering campaign when our mothers, our children and aged persons are in dire need of the money at this point in time?" she asked.
NDC officials are privately confident of winning up to thirteen seats whenever Prime Minister Mitchell calls the general elections.
